VILLAGE SQUARE AND LEADERSHIP TALLAHASSEE HOST SPEED DATE TOWN HALL
Citizens invited to interact with local leadership using “speed date” format
(TALLAHASSEE, FL) – April 4, 2013 – Maybe you’ve never tried it yourself, but everyone’s heard of speed dating. First offered by an Israeli rabbi to help Jewish singles find love, now there’s Christian speed dating, graduate student speed dating, even speed dating for pet adoption and – for the truly noncommittal – online speed dating.
But never before has there been civic speed dating.
At a time when interactions between citizens and their government are either increasingly hostile or practically non-existent, it’s probably past time for a little matchmaking.
Single or married, on Thursday evening April 11 citizens have the unusual opportunity to “Speed Date Your Local Leaders” – enjoying pizza and chatting informally with commissioners, the police chief, superintendent of schools and other officials.
Leaders will rotate from table to table every seven minutes, offering each group of participants an opportunity to ask questions or offer ideas that might never have rated a phone call or public testimony, but are the grist of good citizenship and good governance nonetheless.
Co-sponsored by Leadership Tallahassee, the forum is a continuation of the ongoing OUR TOWN series of local issues forums offered by The Village Square, a nonprofit formed by local leaders to improve the civic dialogue. The project is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Fund at the Community Foundation of North Florida. The Knight Foundation supports innovative ideas to create informed and engaged communities nationwide.
The Thursday, April 11th program is from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at St. John’s Episcopal Church at 211 North Monroe Street. It is free and open to the public, though a reservation is required (participants will print a ticket online). Pizza and drinks will be provided at no charge.
For more information, a list of participating officials and to RSVP, go online to www.tlh.villagesquare.us/ or call 264-8785. Space is limited.
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